Recreational Fisheries Landings
The Fisheries-Dependent Monitoring section contributes data collecting efforts to the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP), developed by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to monitor recreational fisheries. The MRIP is designed to collect a variety of data:
- Target species
- Number of fish harvested and released
- Lengths and weights of harvested fish
- Time spent fishing
- General area where fishing occurred
- Number of fishing trips taken
- Number of trips and anglers participating in the For-Hire industry
- Fishing mode: shore, private or rental boat, or for-hire vessel
- Fishing gear: casting, drifting, or trolling
These data are used to estimate landings, harvest, and fishing effort in participating states.
Florida's saltwater recreational fishery is among the largest in the world and is an important component of the state's tourism economy, bringing in approximately $9.2 billion to the state. Monitoring Florida's recreational fisheries is vital to the success of the state and to ensure sustainable fisheries for future generations.
How Can I Learn More?
The National Marine Fisheries Service maintains a website that provides a full description of MRIP, how it is conducted, and how the data are used. The database may be queried for regional estimates of landings, total catch, fishing effort, and size distributions of harvested fish from 1981 to present.
Fisheries-Dependent Monitoring Recreational Surveys
Fisheries-Dependent Monitoring conducts two recreational fishing surveys: the At-Sea Observer Survey and the State Reef Fish Survey. These surveys collect data that are essential in helping inform stock assessments and management decisions. Click below to find out more.
